Vapor electric device.



E. WBINTRAIIB. VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE.

APPLICATION rum) JULY13,1909.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Fig. l. Fig. 1. V

Witnesses: Inventor: Q 6 Ezechiel Weintraub,

UNITED snaps ra rnntr OFFICE.

EZECHIEL wnmrnmm, or Liz-rm, mssncnusn'rrs, Assmnon'ro Grimm meme COMPANY, A coaronnmon or NEW YORK.

VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE.

Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

operation of said devices.

My present application is to be considered a continuation of my application Serial Number 438,357, filed June 13, 1908. It is Well known to those skilled in-the art that in devices of this character the electric discharge from the negative electrode proceeds from what is known as the cathode spot, which continuously wanders about in an irregular manner upon the surface of the electrode. It has been found desirable to fix the cathode spot in one position and this this purpose. The platinum, however, presents the disadvantage of disintegrating and clouding up the inside of the envelop, thereby creating undesirable short circuits and, other ill effects. Thus, when, by the eroding action of the electric discharge, the platinum is disintegrated and deposited in a finely divided state over the inside "surface of the envelop, a short circuit may be establishedbetween the starting anode and the cathode. .It will hence be impossible to start the auxiliary are. It may likewise happen that the deposit of platinum will cause the cathode spot to wander all '-over the entire inside surface of the rectifier. I have found: that these disadvantages may be overcome by using for the solid projection above the surface of the mercury a material consisting of copper 'or one of its alloys, such as brass or bronze. 'Copper dissolves very slowly in mercury and does not-muddy up the surface of the mercury and adjacent parts of the envelop so as to cause short circuits. It also has the eflect of -'-1mproving the ,vacuum of the mercury-vapor device,

while the use of platinumdeteriorates thevacuum.

consists of astiflt' wire. is. preferably provided with a series of According to one modification of my invention the heat generated on the projecting member is carried away by cooling with a suitable fluid, as water or air.-

My invention may be better understood from the following description taken in con- Figure 1 illustrates a mercury vapor rectifier equipped with a solid block projecting above the surface of the cathode; Fig. 2 is a detail view of a preferred form of the cathode block; Figs. 3, 4 and -5 illustrate modifications of members for fixing the cathode spot; Fig. 6 shows a modified arrangement for holding the block in position; and Fi 5. 7 and 8 illustrate an arrangement for artificially cooling the member projecting above the mercury.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the mercury vapor device is of the wellknown form consisting of an evacuated envelop 1, which contains a main mercury electrode 2 and cooperating electrodes 3 and 4. which ordinection with the accompanying -drawings,-in

narily consist of some solid material as wire 8 by means of a-stem :9 which-ordinarily Ihe cathode block vertical grooves 10, as shown more fully in F-i 2, and is pointed at its upper end;

' The mercury, as it slowly dissolves copper, Wets the surface of the block, and creeps up over its surface.

to ascend by their capillary action, but the mercury ascends over the surface -of the block even in the absence of grooves. The cathode spot, when it travels at all, moves in a continuous way over the surface of the cathode fblO'Ck. The same action takes :place The grooves-on its surface increasethe tendency of the mercury the end of the stem 9 with a little projection or flange which is held in position by the glass walls of the envelop 1, which are pinched in just above and below the flange. 'As considerable heating is generated y the electrical current, I consider it preferable in some cases to artificially cool the member projecting above the mercury. This can be conveniently done as illustrated in Fig. 7 by projecting a stream of water or air through a tube 11 into a tubular cathode block 12. The upper part of the oathode block 12 consists of copper or one of its alloys, while the lower part which passes jecting above the surface of the mercury,

illustrated in each of Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, is of considerable size, which has the effect of distributing rapidly the heat which is very intense at the limited area covered by the cathode spot. In this manner, the amount of mercury volatilized is very materially diminished. The same act-ion, of course, is also true to a still greater degree of the artificially cooled members 12 and 13, illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. The spattering of the mercury is likewise reduced as the cathode spot is maintained on the solid member projecting above the surface of the mercury rather than on the surface of the mercury itself. All these effects, by diminishing the amount of vaporized mer cury in the space between the anodes, de crease the injurious arcing sometimes taking place across the anodes.

As already pointed out above, the use of copper as the material for the cathode block in anyof the forms, illustrated serves to improve the vacuum of the mercury-vapor devlce during its operation.

The amount of copper dissolved in the mercury during the operation of the demm is very small, so that even with contmuous operation, the block will lastfora very long time. Experiments that I have carriedout show unfavorable conditions one ampere.hourof current consumes at the begiJming only about .63 milligrams of copper. The rate I of consumption rapidly decreases as the mercury becomes alloyed with copper.- Ac

cord ng to my experience with tubes that even under the most ber containing copper projecting above the.

surface of said negative electrode.

2. In a mercury-vapor device, the combi nation of a mercury electrode, and a metallic .member projecting above the surface thereof during the operation of said device, said member being adapted to rapidly absorb and dissipate heat.

3. In' a mercury-vapor device, the combination of a mercury electrode, and a coppercontaining member projecting above the surface of the mercury, said member being of suflicient size to rapidly absorb and dissipate heat from its surface.

4. In a vapor electric device, the combination of a mercury electrode, and a metallic block projecting above the surface thereof having vertical grooves to assist the ascension of mercury.

5. In a mercury vapor device, the combination of a mercury electrode and a metallic member projecting above the surface of said electrode during the operation of said device, said member-being free to adjust its position above the mercury surface with variations of level of said mercury electrode.

6. In a vapor electric device, the combination of a mercury electrode, and a copper member projecting above the surface thereof, said member having capillary spaces to assist the ascension of the mercury upon its surfaqe.

7. In a vaporelectric device, the combination of a mercury containing electrode and a grooved copper block projecting above the surface of said electrode, said block having a pointed tip. 8. In a vapor electric device, the combination of a liquid electrode, and'a coppercontaining member projecting above its surface, said member having restricted spaces extending throughout its length to assist the ascension of the electrode material.

9. In a mercury vapor device, a combination of a mercury electrode, and a conductive member maintained above the surface thereof, said member being adapted to rapidly absorb and dissipate heat.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of July, 1909.

EZECHIEL WEINTRAUB.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. MCMANUS, Jr., CHARLES A. BARNARD. 

